Learning English

OFFICE

Nikesh
Cal, it’s nine o’clock. Can we call it a night?

Callie
You can if you want to. I’m not leaving until I’ve figured out… until something, somehow clicks into place. 

Nikesh
You don’t think sleep might help?

Callie
Flipping postmortem. I want some sexy, brilliant but troubled, forensic scientist to waltz in, give me some actual results, flirt a bit and then bugger off. But no. They’ll try and get to it next week.  

Nikesh
I think…

Callie
…but we need time of death. Because that ransom was either paid before or after Jamie Phelps died and if it’s after… then it’s got to be a murder. And if it’s a murder, someone is going to come in here and try to take this case off us.

Nikesh
Especially if we don’t actually have any leads. Or fully understands what’s going on.

Callie
Exactly.

Nikesh
Ow.

INTERVIEW ROOM, LATER

Nikesh
I’ve got something!

Callie
What?

Nikesh
What are you doing?

Callie
Trying to clear my head. What have you got?!

Nikesh
You know how the body was wet, right? It had been high tide, but the water had receded by the time the body was found?

Callie
Yeah.

Nikesh
Look at these pictures.

Callie
What is it I’m…?

Nikesh
Look at the rocks, and the lichen.

Callie
Yeaah…

Nikesh
It’s the tide line. Jamie’s body was found at the point just before the tide line. The water’s only in that spot for half an hour or so. I’ve looked at the tide tables.

Callie
So if the body was wet…

Nikesh
…It means he fell between 12:13 and 12:43.

Callie
That is precise. The text to Lucy was sent at 12:40.

Nikesh
So, he could have sent the text and then jumped. Or, you know, it could have taken a while to send. It’s a windy spot, reception isn’t great… 

Callie
But if you were going to send that text, and you’re about to jump, would you not wait until you know that it had been sent? Has anyone switched his phone on?

Nikesh
Yes. It was locked.

Callie
But it came on?

Nikesh
Yeah, it comes on, asks for a passcode, switches off again when it doesn’t get one.

Callie
I’ve dropped three phones in the bath. They all died. That phone is not wet. Look - the case is leather. We’ll get speedy down at forensics to check for salt deposits but… I think that phone was thrown after Jamie fell. Where did you save the ransomware emails?

Nikesh
It’s under “Phelps”, in the… let me do it.

Callie
No, no… Got it. Ok, so... “thank you for doing business with us… we are pleased to acknowledge receipt of funds… all files returned…”. They’re quite… proper, aren’t they?

Nikesh
Yeah. Like I said, it’s a business for them. What time do they say the funds arrived?

Callie
They don’t. This message came in at 7pm. Should I could email them back? I’m going to email them…. Done.

Nikesh
Alright. I’m going to go home to my wife, my daughter and a hot chocolate.

Callie
Rock and roll. Alright. Good work today.

They’re more than happy to help us with our enquiries… money received at 2:56pm UK time… have a lovely day.

END